Independence: October 19, 2023 Proposed As Date For Scottish Referendum

Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon has proposed 19 October 2023 as the date for another referendum on independence.

Sturgeon said the question would be the same as in the last referendum in 2014: “Should Scotland be an independent country?”.

Sturgeon said had written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ask for formal consent for the vote to be held.

She said she would press on with her plan if this was not granted by the UK government.

But she stressed that any referendum would need to be “indisputably lawful” and constitutional – with the Supreme Court being asked to rule on the potential legal issues around holding a vote without UK government approval.

The UK government said it would examine the first minister’s proposals, but stressed that its position that “now is not the time” for another referendum had not changed. It has also said that it is “clear” that the constitution is reserved to Westminster.

Mr Johnson said: “We’ll study it very carefully and respond properly. I think the focus of the country should be building a stronger economy. That’s what we’re doing. I certainly think that we’ll have a stronger economy and a stronger country together.”